Ignition timer



Patented Apr. s, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE JOHN T. TITZSIMMONS, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-REMY CORPO- RATION, OF DAYTON,'OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE IGNITION TIMER Application led November 21, 1927. Serial No. 234,610.

This invention relates to ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines and particularly to the control of the ignition timer by a centrifugal device responsive to the speed of the engine for advancing the timing of the spark.

One object of the present invention is to provide for certain improvements in a governor of the flat weight type for an ignition timer cam. In this type of governor the ignition timer cam is rotatably supported by thc ignition timer shaft and is rotatable relative thereto. The cam is connected with the shaft through the ignition governor which comprises a'weight supporting plate driven by the shaft and carrying pivoted weights each cooperating with a lever mechanically connected with the cam. More specifically it is an object of the present invention to provide improved means for retaining the weights upon the weight supporting plate while permitting the weights to move freely outwardly in response to the increaseof centrifugal force or inwardly due to the action of springs which restore the Weights to `normal position.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention-will be apparent fromthe following description, reference being had' to the accompanying drawings, wherein a pre- 3 ferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown. p e

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an ignition timerV and distributor unit embodying the present invention.

Fi 2 is a plan view of the timer With-the distrlbutor head removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-,3 of Fig. 1.

Figs'. 4 and 5 are sectional views onthe lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 2. l

The ignition timer comprises a cup or housing 2O having a shank 21 which jprovides a bearing for a shaft 22.l The shaft 22 is provided with a groove 23 into which a washer 24 is swaged sothat the washer will provide a collar which rests upon the finished surface 25 of the housing in order .to Support the shaft 22 vertically. The shaft 22 is provided with a knurled portion 22a over Vwhich a weight supporting plate is forced in order to provide a driving connection between the shaft 22 and the plate 26. Plate 26 carries pivot studs'27 each pivotally` supportinga flat weight 28 which slides across a ridge 29 55 provided by the weight supporting plate 26. Each weight 28 carries a stud 30 received by slot 31 in the weight supporting plate 26 in order to limit rotation of the Weight in either direction. Each weight 28 is provided with a lever arm 32 for engaging a lever arm which is provided by a plate 34 which, together with a Washer 35 and a Weight retain-` ing plate 36,'is secured upon the reduced, knurled end 37 of a cam sleeve 38. These parts are held in assembled relation by staking the end of the sleeve 38 as'indicated at 40.

The weight retaining plate 36 is provided with extensions 41 overlying the weights 28 and normally spaced therefrom by anamount 70 corresponding to the thickness of the washer 35. The weight retaining plate 41 is provided with a notchv 42 which cooperates with one of the spring studs 43 with which the lever arm 33 is provided. In this way the 75 weight retaining Aplate 4l is maintained in a definite relation to the Weights 28.

The weights 28 are normally held in innermost position by springs 44 attached'at their ends to the pivot studs 27 and the spring studs 43 respectively. As the rotation of the shaft increases the weights 28 will rotate about their pivots 27 and will move outwardly toward the cylindrical wall of the cup 20 against the action of the springs 44- and will rotate the sleeve 38 in such direction as to advance the timing of the ignition.

The cam sleeve 38 isprovided with cam .lobes for enga-ging a rubbing block 51 attached, by rivet 52 to a circuit breaker lever 90 53 supported by non-conducting hub 54 upon a pivot stud 55 riveted to a circuit breaker plate 56 having ears 57 for receiving screws 58 by which the plate 56 is supported by the timer housing 20. The lever 53 carries a contact 60 engageable with a relatively stationary contact 61 carried b contact bracket 62 which is pivoted around' a shoulder portion 63 of the stud. 55. The contacts are held yieldingly in engagement by a leaf spring conto the disc 66- and pivotally attachedto the plate 56; The-bracket 62 is clamped to the plate 56 in the desiredposition of adjustment by a screw 69 passing through an arcuate slot 70 and having threaded'engagement with the plate 56.

rllhat portion of the shaft 42 which provides a bearing for the cam sleeve i8 is lubri-` cated by (oil -fed by capillary attraction from atibrous plug 75 saturated with lubricating oi i The cam sleeve 38 ...drives a distributor rotor 80 carrying a segment 8l which rotates past a plurality of distributor posts 82 supported in acircular roT in a non-conducting distributor head 83. The segment 81 is attached to a leaf spring 84 carrying a-hutton 85 biased into engagement Iwith a button 86 carried by a conducting socket'member 87 supportedr centrally by'the head 83. Each ptosst8 82 is integral with.A a conducting sock e It is apparent from the foregoing Idescripe tion that the present invention provides for the retention of the weights upon the weight supporting plate in an exceedingly simple manner. The member for retaining both of the yWeights is providedby single punching of sheet material and this punching is held by a plain washer in correct spaced relation to the weights. |The cost of producing the ignition timer has been increased only by the cost of producing these parts. The cost of assembling lthem is practically negligible since the operation of staking the lever plate 34 to the cam sleeve 38 at the same time causes the washer and plate 36 to be assembled.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thaty other forms might be adopted, allcoming lwithin the scope of the claims which follow.

`What is claimed is as follows' A 1. An ignition timer comprising, in combination, a drive shaft, a weight plate sup-I ported thereon, flat weights pivotally supported by the plate eccentric to its axis, a camk ate attached to` the, cam sleeve and having lever arms cooperating "with the pivoted weights so that the sleeve will rotate as the weights move about their' pivots, a flat plate seeve rotatablecoaxially of the shaft, a flat" P 6l) for restraining outward movement of the weights.. l

2. An ignition timer comprising, in combination, a drive shaft, a weight plate supported thereon, ilat weights pivotally supported by the plate eccentric to its axis, a cam sleeve rotatable on `said shaft andhaving a reduced i end portion, a flat plate pressed fitted to said end portion and having lever arms engaged by the weights, a relatively thin fiat plate lof cated on the sleeve and between the lever armplate and the shoulder of the reduced end portion of the sleeve, said thin plate having parts extending o ver the weights to limit their separation from v the weight supporting plate and springs for' restraining outward movement of the Weights.

3. An ignition timer according to claim 2 in which each spring is connected with the Weight plate and with a spring V `yvstud on one of said lever arms of the plate attached to the cam sleeve, and in which one of the spring studs prevents turning thethinvlat plate relative to the cam sleeve.

4. IAn ignition timer comprising in combination, a drive shaft, a weight plate drivingly fixed to said shaft, weight levers pivoted l'sleeve rotatably supported upon said shaft,

said sleeve 'being provided with a flat plate attached to 'one end thereof andhaving lever arms cooperating with the pivoted weights so that the sleeve will rotate as the weights move about their pivots, and additional means attached to the cam sleeve and extending over the weights, but spaced therefrom, to permit the weights t pivot freely, and to limit' separation of the Weights from their supporting plate, and means forrestraining outward movement of the weights.l

5. An ignition'timer comprising in. combination, a drive shaft, a weight plate drivingly lixed to said shaft, weight levers pivoted to said plate eccentric of the shaft, a cam sleeve rotatably supported upon said shaft, said sleeve having means thereon to aration of the weights from their supporting plate, and means for restraining outward movement of the weights. In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature. i

JoHN T. FITZsIMMoNs; 

